Various methods for treating plastics material containers are known from the prior art. In this case it is also known, in particular, to heat plastics material pre-forms first in a heating device or a furnace respectively and then to shape them in this heated state in a shaping device, for example a stretch blow moulding machine, into beverage containers.
Stretch blow moulding machines of this type frequently have further attached to them a filling device which fills the containers with a liquid, for example a beverage. In this case plants are known in the prior art which have—between these individual parts of the plant—buffer paths which can receive a variable number of plastics material pre-forms. Buffer paths of this type, however, are relatively cost-intensive. In addition, plants in which the individual units are grouped in a block or synchronized respectively with one another at least in part are also known in the prior art. If a certain unit breaks down in a state of this type, then this also affects the preceding units. In the case of the heating device mentioned above which heats the plastics material pre-forms this can be problematic since in the event of a stoppage of the transportation of the containers through the heating device the latter can become rapidly over-heated. It is therefore known from the prior art for the further supply of plastics material pre-forms into the heating device to be stopped first of all by means of a blocking in the event of a stoppage, for example of a filling means arranged downstream. After that, the heating device is run empty and the plastics material pre-forms already heated are separated out.
After the defect has then been rectified on the following component, it would be possible in principle for the production to continue. For the purpose of synchronization with the following component, for example a filling means, however, a certain amount of time is necessary which is not available to the production process. A plant and a method for the production of containers are known from DE 10 2008 021 527 A1 (U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2011/0260372). In this case this plant is able, in the event of a breakdown being detected in a treatment apparatus, to discontinue for a time the synchronization of a container production apparatus with a further treatment apparatus, such as for example a filling means. The contents of the disclosure of this application are hereby also made the contents of the disclosure of the present application with respect to the description of the plant given in this document (paragraphs [0038] to [0043]) as well as the specific description of the method (paragraphs [0044] to [0059]).
A method of operating a filling plant has been described in the German Patent Application No. 10 2010 042 624.5 not yet published hitherto. In this case the phase of synchronizing a filling plant in particular is again described. The subject matter of this patent application is likewise also made the subject of the present application by reference in its entirety with respect to the synchronization (general description).
In particular, in the case of more recent synchronized plants or blocks comprising a stretch blow moulding machine and a filling means it is possible with improved control means for a more rapid start of the block and thus a higher degree of efficiency and a higher degree of availability to be achieved. In this case, with this control means, a stretch blow moulding machine and the further machines grouped into a block are synchronized after a breakdown, before a pre-form blocking is opened again. Depending upon the performance, this can have a duration in a range of 15 seconds.
Therefore, it may be desirable to reduce losses of time which arise, in particular, after a breakdown. This may be attained according to methods and apparatuses according to the disclosure and claims.